St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-03-26
RUBY'S MELONS.

RUBY'S MELONS.
How the square" Let Her Use So0s u
His Land and Surprised Her by Asking
"Rent."
Ruby Miller was the oldest Of -four
children. She was good girl for the
eldest, too. She was quick and bright
and sunny-tempered, and very fond Of
helping her mother. She had some
faults, of course-what little girl has
not? But she was 50 pleasant and
happy and Industrious that we will moi
dwell upon her disagreeable traits,
which are, indeed. not worth dwelling
upon.
Ruby's father was q teamster. He
owned two large, black horses. and two
or three big wagons. Of different sizes
and shapes. All the Miller children
knew all these wagons. even to Lau-
reta, the little Miller baby. and as soon
rs they saw one of them coming along
the dusty village street toward night
they would run out to meet it and cry
..Hollo. papa" until the neighbors
thought there had been about noise
enough. But Mr.. Miller was very
proud of his four little children. and
they could not be blamed for being
glad to see him.
Right next to the little patch of land
which belonged to Mr.. Miller was q
long sandy strip Of farm owned by
Squire Ellington, or. rs the neighbors
called him, Square" He was the
great man of the little struggling vii
lage of Nestlin. and was very rich and
very stingy. You would laugh very
hard If l could stop to tell you half the
funny stories they relate in Nestlin
about :. Square" Billington's little
stingy ways. But this is story about
one Of them.
Young pear trees were planted thick
" on the .'Square's" farm, on that
part of which lay along the village
street and next the Millers'. But there
was a portion oft, close to the Millers'
yard, which had nothing within it at
all excepting some struggling blades
of grass.
One day Mr.. Miller and Ruby were
riding on the high seat Of one Of Mr..
Miller's wagons, when he said. pointing
to the empty space on the Squares
grounds: THAT would be a first-rate
place to raise watermelons. most
wonder that the Square hasn't planted
some there. 'Tisn't good land for any
thing else. but watermelOns would
grow there splendidly."
.Is it much work to raise water
melons. papa?' inquired Ruby.
..Oh, no. The only trouble is that
you want to be watching them when
they are ripe, or else mischievous boys
will come and steal them"
"Aunt Mary has got some water
melon Seeds" said Ruby. II wonder
if she wouldn't give me some. and
then might plant them right by the
fence there"
..You would have to ask the Square,
remarked her father.
Squire Ellington was what people
called a ..pleasant-spoken' man. and
Ruby did not feel in the least afraid to
ask him. The next day she met him on
the street. He said .'Good-morning" to
her, and she hastened to return his
greetings and tell him about her plan.
That's q good idea" said he. ~
like to see little girls at work. Oh, yes.
you can raise watermelons ON that
sandy knoll all you want to-"
So Ruby planted six hills Of water
melon seeds, and watched them come
up, and blossom. and form little mel
ons. 1t was great fun. Her brothers,
Dorus and Sylvester, helped her hoe
and weed them. and little Laureta tod
died over now and then to take hand.
She generally pulled up the melon
plants, though, SO they did not encour-
age her to .'help'' much. One day in
September. when one melon was ripe
and had been carefully cut OF and car
ried home, and when twelve other
splendid fellows were lying basking in
the sunshine almost ready for eating.
Square" Ellington drove up beside
the fence. Ruby was sitting on the
surf close by, keeping watch over her
treasures.
"You have some nice melons there, +"
Gaid the old gentleman.
Ruby's face shone all over.
''Father says they are pretty nice, -
she said. modestly. There are . good
many little ones. but father don't think
they will get ripe before frost"
"Well. there are . good many large
ones for . little girl to raise" said tie
Square" with great apparent kind
Hness. Lets see. how many was
going to have to pay for the use Of The
land?'
'What, sirf'' asked Ruby, very much
Startled